Stamp-affixer.



PATEN TED MAY 14, 19071 o. A. oRAwPoRD. STAMP AFPIXER. P PLIOATIDIIFILED IAN. 13, 1908.

llllllllllllll il aucune? 4 CLIFTON A. CRAWFORD, OF ZION CITY, ILLINOIS.

STAM P-AFFIXER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed January 13, 1906. Serial No. 295,910-

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLIFTON A. CRAW- FORD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Zion City, in the county of Lake and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Stamp-Aflixer, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in stamp-allixers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofstamp aflixers, and to provide a sim le and comparatively inexpensivedevice, a apted to be used on a desk, table or other support withoutclamping it or otherwise securing it to the same, and capable ofenabling the stamps or gummed labels to be conveniently and rapidlyaffixed to letters, packages, catalogues and the like.

A further object of the invention is to providea .stamp aiiixer of thischaracter, which will be capable of any adjustment to adapt it foraflixing stamps or labels to letters or packages of various sizes, andwhich will moisten the surface to which the stamp or label is to beailixed as the letter, package, or the like is placed in position toreceive the stamp or label.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stamp a'l'lixer havingmeans for holdin a supply of stamps, and adapted to enable the same tobe readily placed in position for a'liixing them to letters, packages,etc.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed outin the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changesin the form proportion, size and minor details of construction withinthe scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stamp aflixerconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail lan view, illustrating thearrangement of the combined guide and gage with relation to the tableand thelplunger. Fig. lis a vertical sectional viewon the line 4-4 ofFig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawing.

1 designates a base on one end of which is mounted a cabinet 2, having aplurality of drawers 3 and designed to contain a su ply of stamps, butalthough the device is a ap ted particularly for applying stamps toletters and various ackages, yet it will be readily understoodp that itmay be advantageously employed for a'l'lixing gummed la bels to variousarticles. Rising from the base at an intermediate point is a standard orsupport 4, provided at the top with a horizontal projecting arm 5 andhaving a longitudinal groove or recess 6, in which is pivotally mounteda lever 7. The lever 7, which is designed for actuating a plunger 8, isarranged at an inclination when the plunger is in its lowermostposition, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and isfulcrumed near its upper end on a transverse pin or pivot 9, and itsshort upper arm is connected by a pivot 10 to the lower end of avertically reciprocatable operating rod 11. The standard or support 4 isapproximately L- shaped, and the groove 6 extends from the top to thebottom of the same at the up er face thereof, and it is covered by ametallic face plate 12, having a longitudinal slot 13 at its lowerportion to permit the lower arm of the lever to swing upward through itto the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing.The standard or support may however, be constructed in any other desiredmanner as will be readily understood.

The operating rod extends through an opening of the arm 5, and it isnormally supported in an elevated position by means of a coiled spring,14 which en ages a shoulder 15 of the operating rod and which is housedwithin a sleeve 16.'

The sleeve 16 extends through the arm 5, and its lower end is providedwith an inwardly extending flange or portion 17 to form aseat for thelower end of the coiled spring. The operatin rod is provided at itsupper end with a hea 18, and it is adapted to be depressed by the handto throw the plunger 8 upward.

The plunger 8 is arranged within a vertical casing 19, which isrectangular in cross-section to conform to the configuration of a TOOstamp and which is open at the top as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2,but a casing of any other desired form may be provided to con form tothe configuration of a label. The plunger is provided with a taperedopening 2() to receive one end of the lever' 7, which is provided withan anti-friction device 21, preferably in the 'lorm oll a wheel as shownin F ig. 2. By this construction. motion is communicated from the leverto the plunger with a miniinum aifnount of iriction.

The upper end of theplunger has ar'llat stamp receiving face, and thevertical casing, which forms a guide for the plunger, is provided at theiront or side with a door 22, hinged at the lower edge 23 and adapted tobe opened to permit a number of stamps to be readily placed within thecasing upon the plunger. The door 22 is locked in its closed position by'means of a hook 25 or other suitable fastening device. The hook ismounted on one of the rigid walls of the casing 19, and it engages aprojection 26, extending from the proximate edge of the door 22.

The device is provided in advance of the casing 19 with a bottle holderor casing 27, consisting of parallel side walls and a connecting outerend wall 28, which extends above the side walls and which has a bracket29 secured to it. A bottle 3() is arranged within the holder or casing27, and is provided with'areduced neck 31, receiving` a stopper ofanysuitable construction and adapted to permit the bottle to be readilyfilled with water. The bottle, which is rectangular in cross-section, isprovided at its inner side contiguous to the plunger casing, with atransversely disposed upwardly extending wick tube 32, which receives awick 33. The wick 33, which extends into the bottle,rprojects from thewick tube, and is adapted to moisten thesurfaee of the envelop orpackage to which a stamp is to be aiiixed.

The bracket is provided at its upper edge with a dove-tailed rib orportion 34, which engages a dove-tailed groove 35 of a table 36, and thelatter is slidably connected with the bracket and extends inward overthe bottle as shown. The table is adapted to be readily drawn outward topermit the removal of the bottle, and it may be entirely detached fromthe bracket when desired.

The letter or package to which the stamp is to be ailixed is placed onor supported by the table 36, and it is moved inwardly or rearwardlyover the same to place it over the plunger casing, and this movementcarries the stamp receiving surface over the wick 33, whereby therequisite moisture is supplied to the said envelop or ackage. Y

In order to enabllje a letter, ackage or the like to be properlypositions with relation to the upper end of the casing 19, a gage 37,anda combined gage and guide 38 are employed. The gage 37, which isL-shaped,

consists of a depending vertical stop portion and a horizontalattachment portion. The attachment portion is secured to the lower .faceof the arm 5 by means oi' a threaded pin or bolt 39, and a nut 40. Thepin or screw extends through a longitudinal slot 41 oi the arm, and thenut 4() engages the upper 'face of the latter. By adjusting the gage 37toward and from the plunger casing, a stamp may be placed on an envelopor package the desired distance from one end of the same. flhe nut 40 ispreferably provided with a milled edge to enable it to be convenientlyoperatech but it may be of any desired construction.

The combined guide and gage 38 consists oi a vertically disposed platehaving its iront edge 42, curved outward laterally of the de vice, andthe said guide and gage 3S is provided at its inner or rear portion witha substantially L-shaped shank 43 disposed horizontally. The shankextends from the combined guide and gage 38 to the plunger casing, andit is provided with a slot 44, through which extends a screw 45, whichis mounted on the plunger casing and which is provided with a suitablenut 46 for engaging the shank 43 of the combined guide and gage. Anyother suitable means su ch as a set screw may be provided. Theout-turned edge 42 of the combined guide and gage 38 guides an envelopor package inwardly, and the com bined guide and gage limits the lateralmove- .nient of the envelop or package and enables the stamp to beaflixed the desired distance from one of the side edges oi. the same.When it is desired to stamp envelops of a certain size, the gage 37 andthe combined guide and gage 38 are adjusted, and the stamps may berapidly applied to the said envelops as hereinafter explained.

The stam .s are placed within the upper portion` of t e casing 19 uponthe plunger 8 with their gummed face uppermost, and when the. operatingrod is depressed, the plunger is thrown upward, and the gummed face ofone of the stamps is carried into contact with the moistened surface ofan envelop or packa e, and such stamp 1s caused to adhere to t e same.After'a stamp has been affixed to an envelop or package, the coiledspring will return the plunger and operating rod to their initialpositions, as soon as the latter is relieved of pressure.

The envelops or packages are held against upward movement by anadjustable abutment 47, which is in the form of a horizontal block orplate and which is provided at its upper face with a socket 48 for thereception of a ball 49 of an adjusting screw 50. The adjusting screw 50extends through the front end of the supporting arm 5, and it engageswith suitable screw threads of the same. It is provided at its upper endwith a milled head 51, or other suitable device for enabling it to IOOIIO

be readily adjusted, and it is locked in its adjustment by means of anut 52, arranged on the adjusting screw at the upper face of the arm 5,`and adapted to engage the latter. The abutment is provided with a pairof guide rods 53, which are located at opposite sides of the adjustingscrew 5() and which slide in the suitable guide openings 54 of the arm5. The ball and socket connection between the adjusting screw and theabutment provides' for a swivel or pivotal motion between those parts,yand the guide rods hold the abutment against rotary movement, 'when thescrew is adjusted to raise and lower the same.

It will be seen that the device is adapted to be used on a desk, tableor other supporting surface without fastening it to the same, and isprovided with means Yfor enabling a letter, package or the like to beproperly positioned with relation to the plunger, and that a stamp maybe accurately ai'lixed to such package or letter by a single stroke ormovement of the operating mechanism. Also it will be clear that thedevice is adjustable to receive letters, packages, catalogues andvarious other articles, and that the placing ot such articles inposition over the plunger also operates to meisten the surface to whichthe stamp is to be a'llixed.

Having thus Jfully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the class described, the combination with a base, acasing open at the top and provided at one of its walls with a door toenable stamps or labels to be placed within the casing, a standardrising from the base and having a horizontally projecting arm extendingto a point above the casing and provided with an abutment, a plungeroperating within the casing andI located beneath the said abutment,means mounted on the standard for operating the plunger, and a gagelocated between the standard and the casing and adjustably mounted onthe arm of the former.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, astandard rising 'from the base and having an arm, a table also mounted.on the base, a casing arranged'between the standard and the table andhaving an open top located beneath the said arm, a plunger operatingwithin the casing, operating mechanism mounted on the standard Jforactuating the plunger, an abutment located above the casing, andadjusting means mounted on the arm and connected with the abutment forraising and lowering the same.

3. In a device of the class described, the

vcombination of the plunger, an abutment located above and spaced fromthe plunger, means for supporting a letter over the plunger rotaryadjusting means for varying the distance between the abutment and theletter supporting means, and guiding means connected with the abutmentfor holding the same against rotary movement.

4. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a plunger,means for supporting a letter over the plunger an abutment located aboveand spaced from the letter supporting means, an adjusting screwconnected with the abutment for varying the space between the same andthe letter supporting means, and one or more guide rods connectedwiththe abutment for holding the same against rotary movement.

5. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a casing openat the top and adapted to support a letter over the plunger, avertically reciprocatable plunger Operating within the casing, a supportlocated above and spaced from the casing, an abutment also located abovethe casing and. spaced 'from the letter supporting means, an adjustingscrew mounted on the support and connected with the abutment, and one ormore guide rods aHiXed to the abutment and slidable on the support.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plunger, anadjustable abutment located above the plunger, a table spaced from theplunger, and moistening means located in the space between the table andthe plunger. A

7. The combination of a casing open at the top and adapted to receivestamps or labels, a plunger operating .within the casing, a standardhaving an arm extending over the open top of the casing and providedwith an abutment, means for operating the plunger, a table, and acombined guide and gage adjustably mounted on the casing and spaced fromand arranged in parallelism with the side edge of the table andadjustable toward and from--I the same.

8. The combination of a casing open at the top and adapted to receivestamps or labels, a plunger operating within the casing, a standardhaving an arm extending over the open topu of the casing and providedwith an abutment, means for operating the plunger, a table, a combinedguide and gage adjustably mounted on the casing and spaced from andarranged in parallelism with the side edge of the table and adjustabletoward and from the same, and a gage adjustably mounted thereon anddepending from the standard.

9. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a base, ofstamp or label aliXing means, a table spaced from the said means, aclosed receptacle removably mounted on the base and provided with a wicktube arranged in the space between the afhXing means and the table, thelatter having its inner portion arranged over the said. receptacle andbeing movable outwardly to permit the receptacle to be removed.

10. In a device of the class described, the

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combination with stamp or label aliixing means, of a holder or casingopen at the top, a receptacle arranged `'Within the holder or casing andhaving a projecting Wick, and a table extending over the holder orcasing and movable therefrom to permit the receptacle yto be placed inand removed from the holder or casing.

l1. In a device of the class described, the combination With stamp orlabel ailixing means, of a holder or casing open at the top, areceptacle arranged Within the holder or casing and having a projectingWick, a bracket extending from the casing or holder, and a tableslidably interlocked with the bracket and extending inward over the openpart of the casing or holder.

l2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a plunger,of a vsupporting arm located above the plunger, an abutment depel'ldingfrom the supporting arm, and a depending gage adjustably connected Withthe supporting arm.`

13. A device of the class described, coniprising a base, a cabinetmounted on the base, a casing spaced from the cabinet, a standard lwheellocated Within the tapered opening of the plunger for engaging the upperand lower Wall of the opening to positively move the plunger in eachdirection, and an operating rod connected with the other arm of thelever. In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, and havehereto affixed my signature in the presence of tvvo Witnesses.

CLIFTON A. CRAWFORD.

Witnesses A. C. CnnIsTnNsoN, T. H. HOIMNGSHEAD.

